The present invention relates generally to the field of cutting and tenderizing foods and specifically to the field of tools for cutting pizza and the like and tenderizing meats, e.g., beef, poultry, venison, etc.
While there are many devices that are known for cutting pizza or tenderizing meats the device of this invention is directed toward a unique and simple design and method for quickly and easily cutting pizza or tenderizing meat.
Essentially, the present invention is directed at a motorized tool for cutting pizza or tenderizing meat. While other motorized tools are known, e.g., the electric knife, the inventor knows of no other prior art that teaches the present invention.
For example, in an electric knife movement is imparted to the cutting blade directly by the motor so that the cutting edge of the knife is constantly undergoing a reciprocal motion. The present invention operates in a different manner. The cutting blade or tenderizer, typically a disc, is freely mounted to a shaft so that the disc does not spin or rotate on the shaft due to the action of the motor. Rather, the motor moves the shaft in a reciprocal manner but the disc rotates in the normal manner of a pizza cutter when the user slices the pizza.
In this manner the user is greatly assisted in cutting but has control over the length and direction of the cut. If the disc were allowed to rotate or spin by means of the motor then the device of the present invention would function like a motorized wheel and ride away from the user's hand during operation.
Alternatively, this problem could also be addressed with a fixed blade that takes advantage of the impacting action of the present invention. The important point would be to prevent any mechanically driven rotary motion from being imparted to the cutting tool.
Accordingly, it is a goal of the present invention to produce a motorized tool for cutting pizza and tenderizing meats in which the user is able to control the cutting or tenderizing process while being assisted by the mechanical device.
It is a further goal of the present invention to provide, at least in the alternative, the ability to use the present invention as an attachment to an electric knife while maintaining the advantages of the present invention.
It is a further goal of the present invention to be designed so that rotary motion is not mechanically imparted to the cutting tool by any motorized source.